Rain water container



July 1,` 1941. v A H, DE GROFF 2,247,608

RAIN WATERl CONTAINER Filed Feb. 16, 1959 j() INVENTOR ATTORNEYSPatented July 1, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAIN WATER CONTAINERAndrew H. De Groff, Little Genesee, N. Y.

Application February 16, 1939, Serial No. 256,800

lol. 22o-1) 1 Claim.

This invention relates to rain water containers and has for an object toprovide for a device of this character which may be located in tracts oftimber to accumulate a supply of rain water for use in combating forestfires.

A further object of the invention is to provide for a device of thischaracter which is of such construction as to substantially eliminatethe hazard of freezing while at the same time manual attention will bereduced to a minimum.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will fbeformed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will beinexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists ofcertain novel details of construction and combinations of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood thatvarious modications may be made within the scope of the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a rain water containerconstructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the container with a portion of the coverbroken away.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of referencedesignate similar parts in the various views, the invention is shown toinclude a tank I in the form of an inverted cone, the wall of the tankbeing formed with a plurality of longitudinal corrugations II extendingfrom the apex to the upper edge of the tank to allow for vexpansion andcontraction due to weather changes.

The tank is supported upon a plurality of standards I2 preferably threein number, arranged in the form of a triangle and surmounted by a ringI3. The conical tank is disposed Within the ring with its lowermostpoint being supported in a base I4.

The open top of the tank is closed by a shallow conical cover I5 whichis provided with concentric rows of perforations I6 nearest its lowestperipheral portion. The cover is provided above the openings with astruck-out annulag` trough I'I which is concentric with the apex of thecover and reinforces the cover against distortion. The trough isprovided at the bottom with perforations I8. The perforations in thetrough and in the cover proper permit the straining of rain water fromthe cover into the tank through branches or other debris which mayaccumulate on the cover in the forest. The cover is curved upwardly atthe lower peripheral edge thereof to provide a second trough I9 whichrests upon the top edge of the tank and the trough I 9 is provided witha depending flange 20 which surrounds and overlaps the top edge of thetank and prevents accidental dislodgement of the cover from high Windsor other causes.

A container 2I for fire fighting chemicals, or the like, is mounted onthe tank through the medium of a bar bracket 22 which is secured to thestandards in any preferred manner.

The cover is provided adjacent its lower edge with a relatively largeopening 23 which receives a siphon tube 24 the lower end of whichextends to nearly the bottom point of the tank. Also the tank isprovided near its upper edge with an overflow opening 25.

In operation during periods of rail fall, rain Water will accumulate incontainers of the abovedescribed type, located at various predeterminedlocalities in wooded areas. In case of flre the water supply is thusavailable at localized points for immediate use by the lire lighters.

From the above description it is thought that the operation of theinvention be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

A rain water storage container for forest lire fighting comprising, atank in the form of an inverted cone, the wall of which is formed with aplurality of longitudinal corrugations extending from the apex to theupper edge of the tank to allow for expansion and contraction, a coverin the form of a shallow cone closing the open top of the tank providedwith perforations near the lowest peripheral portion thereof, astruck-out trough in the cover concentric with the apex of the coverreinforcing the cover against distortion, there being perforations inthe bottom of the trough, the perforations in the trough and in thecover permitting straining of rain water from the cover into the tankthrough branches or other debris which may accumulate on the cover inthe forest, a second trough formed by a curved peripheral edge portionof the cover resting upon the top edge of the tank, and a dependingflange on the second-named trough surrounding and overlapping the topedge of the tank to prevent accidental dislodgement of the cover fromhigh winds or other causes.

ANDREW H. DE GROFF.

